2007 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

In 2006, the International Motor Sport Association (IMSA) introduced IMSA Lites. The series was created to provide an opportunity for drivers competing at the amateur level to advance to a professional series or to prepare for a category such as the American Le Mans (ALMS). The mission is to develop future drivers and teams for the ALMS.

IMSA Lites features three classes of purpose-built sports racing prototypes – Lites 1, Lites 2 and Lites 3. The primary factor determining the categorization of a car is engine displacement.

Lites 1 (L1) – This is the fastest category. The most common vehicle in this group is the Elan DP-02 manufactured by Elan Van Diemen. The DP-02 features a carbon fiber monocoque fitted with an aerodynamic package that includes a front splitter, diffuser and rear wing. The car is powered by a 2.3-liter four-cylinder Mazda MZR motor mounted to a six-speed sequential transmission.
Lites 2 (L2) – This group includes several chassis and engine combinations. The West WR1000 is a popular choice powered by a 1000-cc Kawasaki ZX engine. The car also uses an electronic paddle-shift system.
Lites 3 (L3) – Only one car competes in this category. The Van Diemen DP-06, introduced by the Sports Car Club of America in 2002, is powered by a 2.3-liter Mazda MZR engine.

2007 IMSA Lites Championship consisted of six race weekends, with doubleheaders at each event.

March 16-17 – Sebring International Raceway
May 18-19 – Miller Motorsports Park
July 6-7 - Lime Rock Park
August 25-26 – Mosport International Raceway
October 4-5 - Road Atlanta
October 20-21 – Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

In addition to a driver’s championship, there are also titles for Teams and Constructors.

The final weekend of the 2007 IMSA Lites Championship presented by Hankook Performance Tires was held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Drivers would compete in rounds eleven and twelve around the eleven turn 2.238-mile road course.

The penultimate race of the 2007 IMSA Lites Championship attracted twenty-five participants. Leading the field into corner two at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is the pole-sitter, Joel Feinberg, in the No. 7 790 The Ticket Elan DP-02. Beside Feinberg is the L1 points leader, Gerardo Bonilla, driving the No. 9 BK Motorsports Elan DP-2. Immediately behind Feinberg is the other title contender Jay Cochran.

It was 'too little too late' for championship hopeful Jay Cochran. He missed an excellent opportunity to close the L1 points gap at Road Atlanta when Gerardo Bonilla had a lousy weekend. Cochran qualified third for round eleven and beat Bonilla for the win by 0.816-seconds. On Sunday, the driver of the No. 8 Primetime Race Group Elan DP02 qualified and finished third. Cochran ended the year thirty-nine markers behind Bonilla.

Robby Card and Mark White battled all season for the L2 class honours. At Road Atlanta, the pair traded wins. However, the final two races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca belonged to Card. He qualified second to White in Saturday's contest, but White retired on lap-4, clearing the way for Card to secure the victory. In the finale, Card captured his second victory of the weekend and won the championship by thirty-two points.

The tightest battle for the championship was in the L3 category. Drivers Richard Spicer, Chris Funk and Robert Mumm accounted for all the class wins this season and only ten points separated first to third entering the finale. Spicer, the current leader, driving the No. 65 Hagerman RacEngineering Van Diemen DP-06, won the first race at Laguna Seca and ended the year with a second-place to take the crown.

The L1 points leader, Gerardo Bonilla, struggled at Road Atlanta and was in jeopardy of losing the top spot in the title chase. However, his luck returned in the final two races of the season. In Saturday's contest, he qualified and finished second piloting the No. 9 BK Motorsports Elan DP-02. Bonilla qualified on the pole the following day and led flag-to-flag to claim the 2007 IMSA Lites L1 championship.

One of the three contenders for the L3 title was Chris Funk. Funk, who drove the No. 5 KC Racing Van Diemen, trailed the points leader, Richard Spicer, by six markers. He finished third in the weekend's first event while Spicer claimed the victory. Funk was first in the championship's final round, but Spicer was second. The finally tally saw Funk finish eight points behind Spicer (198 to 206).

POS.	CLASS	DRIVERS	CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	L1	Jay Cochran	Elan DP-02	15	-
2	L1	Gerardo Bonilla	Elan DP-02	15	-
3	L1	Joel Feinberg	Elan DP-02	15	-
4	L1	Matt Downs	Elan DP-02	15	-
5	L1	Chapman Ducote	Elan DP-02	15	-
6	L1	Tim Hubman	Elan DP-02	15	-
7	L2	Robby Card	West WR1000	15	-
8	L1	Jon Brownson	Elan DP-02	15	-
9	L1	Antonio Downs	Elan DP-02	15	-
10	L1	Lucas Downs	Elan DP-02	15	-
11	L2	Dan McBreen	West WR1000	15	-
12	L2	Scott Tucker	West WR1000	15	-
13	L3	Richard Spicer	Van Diemen DP-06	15	-
14	L1	Johnny Meriggi	Elan DP-02	15	-
15	L3	Robert Mumm	Van Diemen DP-06	15	-
16	L3	Chris Funk	Van Diemen DP-06	15	-
17	L1	Kerry Jacobsen	Elan DP-02	15	-
18	L3	Chris Doyle	Van Diemen DP-06	15	-
19	L1	Patrick O'Neill	Elan DP-02	15	-
20	L1	Charlie Shears	Elan DP-02	14	-
21	L1	Dan Weyland	Elan DP-02	11	Did Not Finish
22	L2	Eric Vassian	West WR1000	7	Did Not Finish
23	L2	Mark White	West WR1000	4	Did Not Finish
24	L1	Richard Berry	Elan DP-02	4	Did Not Finish
25	L3	Kelly Toombs	Van Diemen DP-06	-	Did Not Start

POS.	CLASS	DRIVERS	CAR / ENTRANT	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	L1	Gerardo Bonilla	Elan DP-02	20	-
2	L1	Matt Downs	Elan DP-02	20	-
3	L1	Jay Cochran	Elan DP-02	20	-
4	L1	Joel Feinberg	Elan DP-02	20	-
5	L1	Kerry Jacobsen	Elan DP-02	20	-
6	L1	Patrick O'Neill	Elan DP-02	20	-
7	L1	Lucas Downs	Elan DP-02	20	-
8	L1	Tim Hubman	Elan DP-02	20	-
9	L1	Charlie Shears	Elan DP-02	20	-
10	L2	Robby Card	West WR1000	20	-
11	L2	Mark White	West WR1000	20	-
12	L1	Jon Brownson	Elan DP-02	20	-
13	L1	Antonio Downs	Elan DP-02	20	-
14	L1	Johnny Meriggi	Elan DP-02	20	-
15	L2	Scott Tucker	West WR1000	19	-
16	L3	Chris Funk	Van Diemen DP-06	19	-
17	L3	Richard Spicer	Van Diemen DP-06	19	-
18	L1	Chapman Ducote	Elan DP-02	19	-
19	L3	Robert Mumm	Van Diemen DP-06	19	-
20	L3	Chris Doyle	Van Diemen DP-06	18	-
21	L3	Kelly Toombs	Van Diemen DP-06	16	Did Not Finish
22	L2	Eric Vassian	West WR1000	5	Did Not Finish
23	L2	Dan McBreen	West WR1000	-	Did Not Start
24	L1	Richard Berry	Elan DP-02	-	Did Not Start
25	L1	Dan Weyland	Elan DP-02	-	Did Not Start

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